Public comment sought for concrete batch plant in Longvale

Mendocino County's Department of Planning and Building Services is seeking public comments on the proposed re-establishment of a concrete batch plant at 37342 Covelo Road in Longvale. The property is about 2.5 miles east of Highway 101, extending along the north side of Highway 162, between the highway and Outlet Creek.

The department has done a draft "mitigated negative declaration" for the project, declaring"no significant impacts would result from the proposed project which cannot be adequately mitigated through the project design and conditions of approval."

The environmental review considered impacts on Aesthetics; Agricultural/Forestry; Air Quality; Biological Resources; Cultural Resources; Geology and Soils; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Hazards and Hazardous Materials; Hydrology and Water Quality; Land Use and Planning; Mineral Resources; Noise; Population and Housing; Public Services; Recreation; Transportation/Traffic; and Utilities and Service Systems.

Owners Grist Creek Aggregates of Covelo originally sought approval for an asphalt batch plant, as well as a concrete plant, at the site, but according to the draft document: "given the additional environmental impacts that could potentially result from the asphalt portion of the proposal, the applicant has opted to remove that part of the proposal for the time being, focusing instead on the installation of a concrete plant."

The site was rezoned from rangeland to industrial in 2009, so no new use permit is necessary for the project, but because the site is next to "environmentally sensitive" Outlet Creek, "the potential exists for impacts to occur from the reestablishment of the proposed industrial uses," the county document says.

The document is available online for public review on the Planning Department's Public Notices page at www.co.mendocino.ca.us/planning/publicnotices.htm (see "Development Review # DR 1-2011 (GRIST CREEK Revised)."

Public comments are due Wednesday, December 26, and can be submitted to the Department of Planning and Building Services, 860 North Bush Street, Ukiah, CA 95482. Planning Department hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, but the department is closed Monday, December 24, and Tuesday, December 25.

Project coordinator is John Speka; call 463-4281 for more information.